Richmond Restaurant Group

Michelle Williams

Richmond native Michelle Williams has been a staple and an innovator in the local food scene for over two decades, introducing new concepts and creating some of the city’s iconic eating and drinking establishments.

Williams discovered her passion for cooking and food early on while studying as a sculpture major at Virginia Commonwealth University. A part-time job at the Tobacco Company Restaurant inspired her to enroll in the culinary program at J. Sargeant Reynolds, leading to a busy few years interning, working and launching menus in restaurants around Richmond.

In 1995, she joined forces with classmate and friend Jared Golden, and restaurant manager Ted Wallof to form the Richmond Restaurant Group (RRG). At the age of 22, Williams and her RRG partners opened their first restaurant, The Hard Shell, in Richmond’s historic Shockoe Bottom, and went on to launch 12 concepts, including two Hard Shell locations, The Hill Cafe, Pearl Raw Bar, The Daily Kitchen and Bar, and East Coast Provisions.

Recognizing a gap in the Richmond food scene, The Daily focuses on locally sourced produce and meats and simple, fresh ingredients. The menu was designed around health-conscious dishes with vegan, vegetarian, paleo, and gluten free options. It’s quickly become an anchor in Carytown and has been voted Best Vegan/Vegetarian, Best Gluten Free, and Best New Restaurant by Richmond Magazine and Style Weekly.

As a chef, Williams strives to balance new ideas and flavors that are exciting while still appealing to the diversity of Richmond and it’s surrounding communities. Michelle is involved in the culinary community and the community at large, serving on the boards of Downtown Presents and J Sargeant Reynolds. She is an active contributor to FeedMore, Massey Cancer Center, and the March of Dimes. She has participated in the Fire, Flour, and Fork culinary event and been a guest lecturer for the 2015 Virginia Vegan Dinner.

Although Williams’ career spans over two decades, she shows no signs of slowing down. RRG is opening 2 new restaurants in the next two years, including seafood fusion and sushi concept West Coast Provisions in Short Pump, and a second location for The Daily Kitchen and Bar. When she’s not working, Michelle can often be found with family along the Rappahannock River where she and her husband, Chef Brian Enroughty have started their own oyster farm, currently producing about 50,000 oysters a year exclusively available at RRG restaurants.